Machines such as power tools and equipment are used all over the world to perform tasks that cannot be performed with or at least would be performed more inefficiently with a user's hands. For instance, the continued popularity of wood as a source of heat has led to increasing use of powered apparatus for wood splitting purposes. Many different forms of mechanical wood splitters have been developed. The most common design involves a frame mounted blade and platform arrangement wherein the blade, platform or both are driven toward and away from one another usually by a hydraulic cylinder. A wood block is placed between the blade and platform and the cylinder is activated to move the platform and blade together relative to one another thereby driving the blade through the wood block.